world stroke day The event is celebrated on October 29 to raise public awareness of stroke prevention, treatment and care. The global campaign draws attention to the signs of stroke by remembering the abbreviation “FAST”: face droop, arm weakness, speech difficulties and time to call emergency services. Stroke is a cause of death and disability worldwide, but many strokes are preventable through lifestyle and early medical intervention. World Stroke Day is a day to focus on how stroke can affect individuals and their families, so encourage healthy habits, understand risk factors and support recovery and recovery.
A stroke occurs when blood flow to part of the brain is interrupted or reduced, starving brain tissue of oxygen and nutrients. Within minutes, brain cells begin to die. Stroke is a medical emergency, and prompt treatment is critical to minimizing brain damage, disability, and potentially life-threatening complications.
this prime time Refers to the first 60 minutes after stroke symptoms start. Patients who present to the hospital within 60 minutes of stroke symptoms are most likely to benefit from thrombolytic (injection of blood clot) treatment. Thrombolysis Involves the infusion of thrombolytic drugs such as tPA within a narrow window of 4.5 hours. In a typical ischemic stroke, 2 million nerve cells die for every minute of delay in reperfusion.
Therefore, rapid medical intervention can significantly improve outcomes by restoring blood flow and reducing brain damage. This reduces the risk of severe disability and increases the chance of early recovery.
Rapid response involves quickly recognizing stroke symptoms and seeking immediate medical attention.
World Stroke Day 2023: Understanding the interaction of hypertension and diabetes in stroke
BE FAST is a useful acronym for quickly identifying stroke symptoms. Each letter in BE FAST represents a stroke symptom.
- B stands for – Balance
- E is for – eye symptoms
- F stands for – face sagging
- A stands for – weak arms
- S is for – Speech Difficulty
- T stands for – time to call emergency services.
By acting quickly during the golden hour and ensuring a prompt response, the chances of better stroke recovery and reduced long-term complications are significantly increased.
Author: Dr. Balasubramaniam, Senior Consultant Neurologist, Prashanth Hospital, Chennai
